Gasoline

New-Vehicle Fuel Economy Falls 0.4 MPG

The average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in October fell 0.4 mpg to 24.8 mpg, according to the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The move likely reflects "a continuing increase in the proportion of light trucks sold each month, as well as the recent calculation adjustments for window-sticker values implemented by the EPA for model year 2017," according to UMTRI researchers Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle.

The institute has been tracking EPA window sticker fuel economy data since October of 2007. The value for October is up by 4.7 mpg since October of 2007.

The University of Michigan Eco-Driving Index (EDI) — an index that estimates the average monthly emissions of greenhouse gases generated by an individual U.S. driver — was 0.81 in August, down 0.01 from the value for July (the lower the value the better).

This value indicates that the average new-vehicle driver produced 19% lower emissions in August than in October 2007, but 3% higher emissions than the record low reached in both August of 2014 and August of 2015.

The average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in December fell to 25 mpg — down 0.2 mpg from a revised November value, according to Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak, researchers from the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The national average price of unleaded gasoline jumped 5 cents to $2.49 per gallon in the first week of 2018 and has reached a level not seen since 2014 during the week that starts the new year, according to AAA.

China is setting a deadline for automakers to end the sale of fossil-fuel powered vehicles as the country looks to reduce oil consumption and pollution and push for the development of electric vehicles. Regulators are working on a timetable for the ban.

The average national price of gasoline remained at $2.29 per gallon for the week ending March 27 amid discussion by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to extend a production cut by another six months.